Do you & your family have cultural traditions that were shared & handed down by the elders? Chances are you do. Whether your Italian, Italian American or have a different heritage; you are probably thinking of a time-honored ritual that your family shares, as you read this blog. I am not talking about holidays necessarily, but about the day to day precious moments that we have the opportunity to enjoy.

Our family is Sicilian American, closely associated with Italian American

In our family we sit down to dinner and share our day, thoughts, struggles, dreams & family history. In the Italian (Sicilian) American culture; Sundays are known as a day for family, friends & food… then more food! You may have heard us making reference to the pot being on stove all day on Sunday, ready to welcome & feed everyone who comes to visit. The food is delicious & nurturing but the camaraderie – stories told, instruments played, singing & dancing amongst the laughter; these are precious moments in life we get to relish.

Stuffed Eggplant Appetizer

Today; in this day & age, it is commonly heard that “I am too busy,” having no time to participate in these vital, nourishing customs. We are hoping to encourage everyone to stop; put down the cell phones, laptops, iPads & iPods – take time to say hello, how are you, let’s sit & talk over a nice meal… enjoy these cherished occasions & the people you love. Don’t rush – make the time; you will embrace these memories dearly as generations grow & pass. Imagine being able to share stories of family traditions, history, funny times & maybe even adventures experienced with the younger generations; inspiring them to take the time to share & enjoy life’s moments.

What are some of traditions you share with your family & friends? We would love to hear your story….

If you love Italian food, chances are you’ve had a least one olive oil stain on your clothes. Do you wash your clothing several times trying to remove the oil & in the process wear out the article by over washing? Have stain removers left you frustrated to the point you just throw away your clothes? Maybe we can help…

There are alternatives to throwing your clothes away & most of them can be found right on the internet. Whether you find the information by doing a general search for removing oil from clothing or you go directly to a specific site, like You Tube, to find the information; there are a lot of suggestions for removing oil stains.

As you can imagine, we have quite a bit of clothing that comes home with olive oil stains & sometimes it is a drawn out battle; but I never end up throwing in the towel! Usually a 5-10 minute treatment of stain remover & some added OxiClean to the wash will do the trick, but what about the really tuff stains? Well, it is a good idea to dab (not rub) the excess oil off the material before trying any treatment (see first link above). Then, get some dish soap out & treat the stain with that, allowing it to sit 5 minutes to overnight (depending how big & bad the stain may be) & then wash as usual.

There are many ways & recommendations on how to remove stains. Maybe you know of a great way to get a stubborn spot out or your mother has shared a family “secret” on getting the job done. So, how do you get olive oil stains out of you clothes?

When you own a business, you are always making changes whether it is basic upkeep, replacement of products, updating, redecorating, rearranging or just plain bringing in something new. This is one of those times when we are bringing in something new; it is coming soon & we want to share it with you as we go through the process!

You may notice some changes taking place when you come to dine with us – an addition of a retail area! We will be introducing Fine Domestic/Imported Foods & Confections. The selection; that will be available for you to purchase & enjoy at home, will include an eclectic array of pastas, oils, olives, tasty treats & more. There will be a diverse assortment of brands from which to choose. We decided to offer this because we know how difficult it can be to find fine Italian products & ingredients here that are more readily available in larger cities, closer to the coastal regions of the United States. Many of our regulars ask us how they can purchase higher quality goods that just don’t seem to be available here in the grocery stores. So; we are going to bring some of those favorites to you, as well as some really nice products we have come across & use at home ourselves. Please join us in our excitement as we remodel & bring in something new; for you!

Are you, your family or ancestors from Southern or Northern Italy? Than it is likely you know the cuisine of these regions, while may having similarities, are also very different. There are many “regions” in Italy, generally cuisine is divided into two – Northern or Southern… but there is also Central Italy! The food in all three areas bring something unique to the dining table.

Map: 3 Main Regions of Italy

Let’s start in the North where you are likely to dine on meals that are rich & creamyalong with stuffed meats & pastas; Parmigiano-Reggiano may well be the most popular cheese. The Ligurian coastal section of north-west Italy boast fish (baccala), like Cod.

In contrast, Southern Italy is known for it’s tomatoes – cooked in a sauce or served fresh; as well as peppers, olives, olive oil, garlic, Ricotta cheese, eggplants, zucchini & fish, like Tuna or Sardines. As you can see, Southern Italy has had a great influence on American Italian fare. For all you Pizza lover’s out there… it hails from Naples, also part of Southern Italy.

Organic Eggplant in our Garden at Home.

Organic Zucchini fresh from our garden.

Do you hear Italians mention Central Italy often? Honestly, I don’t think I have ever heard that once! Traditional Central Italian cuisine uses ingredients such as tomatoes, all kinds of meat, fish, and pecorino cheese. In Tuscany and Ubria, pasta is usually served alla carrettiera (a tomato sauce spiked with peperoncini hot peppers).

As you can see by our menu; we offer a dining experience that is influenced by all the above, in addition to the induced Italian American dishes that came from our ancestors when they moved to United States. Comment below & share with us which style of cuisine you like best… or maybe like us, you enjoy it all!

We have been asked many times “What is the proper pour for wine,” so we thought we would share a little information about this topic.

First, do you know what “One Serving of Alcohol is Considered?” It actually varies depending on the type of alcohol you are serving, like wine or beer. Here is a basic outline for proper pouring & serving:

5 ounces of wine

12 ounces of a beer or wine cooler

8-ounces of malt liquor

1.5 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits (Whiskey, Vodka, Rum, etc.)

Keep in mind that some States have different regulations regarding how much alcohol is served at one time, so an alcohol beverage could be served according to State Law.

Restaurants may offer different pours of wine, like 3oz., 5oz., or 8oz. – at different prices. So in this case the “Proper Pour” of wine would depend on the size you prefer. We have never come across a proper pour being any larger than 8 ounces. You will also notice that there are all different sizes of wine glasses; it is always better to have a larger glass so you are able to swirl the wine to aerate, helping to release it’s essence.

When you come into dine with us, you have a choice of ordering house wines by the Full Carafe, Half Carafe or Glass & for those who prefer more diversity in their wine choices; we also offer a variety of wines by the Glass or Bottle. We pour 1 size when serving by the glass – a measured 6 ounces & it comes in a nice 20 ounce glass to enable you to swirl without spilling. It may look like a small pour, but we do measure it when pouring & it is priced at what you may pay for a 5 ounce pour in many other establishments. If you would like to order a bottle of wine but don’t want to drink it all at one time; we also offer Wine Doggie Bags, which are approved by the State of New Mexico & you are able to take what is left in your bottle of wine home with you. Have questions? Our staff, management & owners are happy to assist you in picking out the wine that you would most enjoy.

Did you miss it…do you know what it is?

It has just come & gone…Italian Carnevale; – in the United States, 2013, it was a celebration held around February 9-12 (Lent started on the 13th). In Venice, however, celebrations went on from February 1-14, it some parts of Italy the parties started in the end of January!

Carnevale began in Venice during the Italian Renaissance as an annual celebration preceding Lent; the Italian Renaissance began in the the 14th century & lasted until the 16th century! Did you miss out on the fun? Well, you don’t have to… come join us for the Taste of Rio Rancho, Saturday March 9 beginning at 4pm in the Santa Ana Star Center Arena; where we will bring back a touch of Italian Carnevale. In addition, there will be over 25 other participating Rio Rancho Restaurants, live music & more… in an all new spacious layout! Tickets (that include all the tasty food samples & live music) can be purchased in advance at Santa Ana Star Center Box Office for $5 or you can pay $10 at the door the day of the event (if we aren’t already sold out)! So, come join us in the fun & celebration of so much that Rio Rancho has to offer!

How would you like Fish Fry or Prime Rib for Dinner?

You may think this is a funny question coming from an Italian restaurant, but in addition to our extensive Italian & Steak/Chop Menu we have added a couple special nights due to popular request… and we aim to please!

But how about Wednesday night? Maybe fish isn’t your favorite dish; well beginning tomorrow night, 2/27/13, we are featuring Prime Rib as our Wednesday night weekday special… All natural, slow roasted, Black Angus Prime Rib Served with garden salad & mashed potatoes! Do you enjoy a tender piece of flavorful prime rib that isn’t dipped in liquid smoke? Than you will want to join us on Wednesday night!

Both specials are offered from 4pm-9pm… while supplies last. For more Weekday, Weekend & Take-Out specials visit us on:

At Joe’s Pasta House your not just getting the cultural taste of our Italian family recipes; you also get enjoy savory selections created & prepared by a fully trained culinary team! We look forward to seeing & serving you soon.